Jamie's Rabbits

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3.12.2015

Every so often I post things of which I'm fond. You can choose what happens after my recommendation. Ignore, embrace, debate. Earlier volumes of The Rabbit Recommends can be found here.

Television

I have Netflix. And by that, I mean I have a Netflix password. Thank you Patrick. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is a new show from Tina Fey and Robert Carlock of 30 Rock fame. If you loved TGS, then you'll adore UKS. I didn't realize how much I needed joy in between watching Orphan Black and The Americans. Episode #4 will raise you up just like Josh Groban promised.

Music

Spring temps mean music for sitting on the porch, drinking lemonade and thinking about who's going to rake all those leaves.

Emily Hearn is a lighthearted singer/songwriter who's on tour with Tyrone Wells and collaborating with Ben Rector - two more of my favorites. Her new album Hourglass is a delight.

Movies
YOU GUYS. I'm still feeling the effects of Oscar burnout so I've only watched one movie in three weeks: DUFF. It was adorable, but you can wait to watch it on the comfort of your couch. And I give you permission to find the lead actor attractive despite him portraying a high school student. God did not stumble when it came to his face.

Reading

This post-apocalyptic novel has lingered with me in the best way. Like Taco Tuesday. No surprise since it's a finalist for the National Book Award and the PEN/Faulkner Award. It's so beautifully written. Add it to your TBR pile. As of this writing, it's only $5.99 on Kindle.

I'm still mourning the loss of The Colbert Report, but Stephen's cameo on The Mindy Project this week was ridiculously funny. This short video of him talking about his faith is great. I feel the exact same way about Peter.

Just in case you didn't know, I co-host a podcast with Knox McCoy called The Popcast (pop culture). A listener and friend, Sarah, let me know I remind her of Nick Kroll's character in his sketch PubLIZity. This was the best compliment I've ever received.

Sometimes you wish you could headbutt someone, but you shouldn't. Or worse, you can't.

2.17.2015

The Oscars are this Sunday. That may not even be on your radar, but I adore films and fancy dresses and awkward small talk on a red carpet so I’m counting down the hours.Dozens of films have been nominated for writing, acting, directing, hairdos and the stuff like that there. I watched them all for you. And they’re not all worthy of your time.Here's a list of the films nominated for the major awards. I've listed them in order you should see them and where you can catch them.Wild. (2 nominations) As good as the book, which was perfection. March 17: iTunes, AmazonSelma. (2 nominations) Wow. Everyone should see it. All of us.In TheatersBirdman. (9 nominations) Delightful. Quirky, yet superb acting from a fantastic ensemble.Google Play,iTunes, AmazonAmerican Sniper. (6 nominations)Not as good as the book, but still great. Bradley Cooper's accent is distracting at time, but then he's so pretty.In TheatersWhiplash. (5 nominations) Really just two actors and some jazz music. But intense and so very good. February 24:Amazon, iTunesThe Imitation Game. (8 nominations) Benedict Cumberbatch is beloved for a reason. Thriller and learning history all in one. In TheatersGone Girl. (1 nomination) The book is magic…dark magic. The movie captures that darkness perfectly. If you don’t like weirdness, it’s not for you.Amazon,iTunes,Google Play, Redbox, Netflix DVDThe Theory of Everything. (5 nominations) It's a beautiful true story of romance and science. If you can pretend they didn't eventually divorce, then it's worth it. iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Redbox, Netflix DVDStill Alice. (1 nomination) It will break your heart in all the ways you think.In TheatersFoxcatcher. (5 nominations) Steve Carell is worth the hype. It's based on a true story that's fascinating. However, it's weak in several areas which is why it didn't get a nod for Best Picture.March 3: iTunes,AmazonNightcrawler. (1 nomination) It's a ruthless thriller set in the world of LA crime reporting. It's a lot to digest, but good.iTunes,AmazonBoyhood. (6 nominations) Hmm...I wanted it to have a plot beyond just normal day-to-day life. It does not.iTunes,Amazon,Google Play, Redbox, Netflix DVDThe Grand Budapest Hotel. (9 nominations)Director and Screenwriter Wes Anderson gathers the same old crew for another weird and whimsical film. Good, but shouldn’t have been lauded this way.HBO GO,iTunes,Amazon,Google Play, Redbox, Netflix DVDInto The Woods. (3 nominations) You MUST love singing. And not happy endings.March 24: iTunes, AmazonThe Judge. (1 nomination) I wanted this film to be good, but it really wasn’t. I think Robert Duvall received a nomination simply because he’s over 80. It's the Betty White effect.Amazon,iTunes,Google PlayInherent Vice. (2 nominations) Nope. Even Reese Witherspoon cannot redeem it.Amazon, iTunes, Two Days, One Night. (1 nomination) It's in French. I CAN'T EVEN YOU GUYS. But it's not bad if you can pay attention to read the screen. This is not my strong suit.In Theaters (but probably not where you live)BonusHow To Watch the Oscar-Nominated Animated Shorts OnlineWhere to Watch the Oscar-Nominated Documentaries

This is just an overview. For a detailed look at all things Oscar, consider buying my first ebook The Popcast’s Guide to the Oscars.One review: "Truly brilliant work on the Oscars guide. My friend was reading excerpts out loud yesterday and we were both cracking up."

2.13.2015

Our mission statement is simple: Educating the world on things that entertain, but do not matter. For example, this week we tackled these hard hitting subjects:

Book and movie sequels

Brian Williams

The Grammys

Channing Tatum

Madonna

The BAFTAs

Jennifer Lawrence

It's one of the most fun things I do each week. We don't teach people how to start a business, or write a book, or wax poetically about the Middle East - we just chat about pop culture in the most entertaining way possible.

And believe it or not, people listen. People, other than my mom.

When we launched, we were featured in New & Noteworthy. Last month, we were featured in What's Hot.

2.05.2015

It's annoying.Let's be honest. We want those who are never fat who are getting fat to look fat. I can say that about Leslie, because we're friends.Leslie and I didn't grow up together or meet at college where many great friendships find their origin. We met at church. We saw each other occasionally in the halls or near the doughnuts, and we liked each other immediately. But we were in our thirties. Could we become friends?Jerry Seinfeld suggests no.

He's not wrong. Making friends as an adult is challenging. My friend Kara, who I've been best friends with since 1993, knows all my secrets. ALL OF THEM. She also knows the easy stuff like I love guacamole and guys with nice forearms and sitting at restaurant tables far from toddlers.We have a shorthand that's delightful.But even still, Kara and I don't connect on everything. She thinks Twitter is weird. Shopping is boring to her. Her career doesn't define her. She does not find The Bachelor riveting.That's where Leslie comes in... Leslie boldly came up to me one Sunday and said "I'm going to need us to go to breakfast and become friends."We did both.Here are my tips for doing the same:1. Find strangers. Take a class, join a club, volunteer, or join a gym. Also, look at the activities you're already doing and see who's around. Do you like any of those people? Maybe you spend all your time on social media - who's there that you like? My real-life friend Erin was a stranger I met on Twitter. We both loved books, music, Doctor Who and snark. One day, she suggested we meet for coffee. She brought me a cupcake and we've been friends ever since.2. Find non-strangers. Who are your friends' other friends? Do any of them love the things you love? What about your friends' significant others? What about the people you went to school with who have grown up to be interesting adults. Facebook is a great screening tool. Look at the folks you haven't unfollowed and consider seeing them in person.3. Speak up. When you're around someone you think might become a friend - talk to them. Ask questions, learn their story and share yours. It doesn't have to be a 3 hour meal, but snippets of conversation can lead to learning all about a person. Be vulnerable, not dramatic. Be transparent, not codependent.4. Don't give up. I'm not suggesting stalking your prospects, but people can be shy or distracted or in a busy season. Don't be afraid to keep putting forth effort to get to know someone.5. Don't look for a BFF. Sometimes we think we need the types of friends who will be in our wedding or be the godparent to our kids. Lower the bar. Look for a book friend or sports friend or parenting friend or neighbor friend or a Real Housewives of Atlanta friend or one of each. Simply fill in your gaps.Quality friendships are ridiculously valuable and they require real effort. Until they don't. The effortless friendship is worth any awkward pursuit.How do you make friends as an adult?